the duchesse de langeais-第1章

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The　Duchesse　de　Langeais

by　Honore　de　Balzac




THE　DUCHESS　OF　LANGEAIS


I

In　a　Spanish　city　on　an　island　in　the　Mediterranean；　there　stands　a　convent　of　the　Order　of　Barefoot　Carmelites；　where　the　rule　instituted　by　St。　Theresa　is　still　preserved　with　all　the　first　rigour　of　the　reformation　brought　about　by　that　illustrious　woman。　　Extraordinary　as　this　may　seem；　it　is　none　the　less　true。

Almost　every　religious　house　in　the　Peninsula；　or　in　Europe　for　that　matter；　was　either　destroyed　or　disorganised　by　the　outbreak　of　the　French　Revolution　and　the　Napoleonic　wars；　but　as　this　island　was　protected　through　those　times　by　the　English　fleet；　its　wealthy　convent　and　peaceable　inhabitants　were　secure　from　the　general　trouble　and　spoliation。　　The　storms　of　many　kinds　which　shook　the　first　fifteen　years　of　the　nineteenth　century　spent　their　force　before　they　reached　those　cliffs　at　so　short　a　distance　from　the　coast　of　Andalusia。

If　the　rumour　of　the　Emperor's　name　so　much　as　reached　the　shore　of　the　island；　it　is　doubtful　whether　the　holy　women　kneeling　in　the　cloisters　grasped　the　reality　of　his　dream…like　progress　of　glory；　or　the　majesty　that　blazed　in　flame　across　kingdom　after　kingdom　during　his　meteor　life。

In　the　minds　of　the　Roman　Catholic　world；　the　convent　stood　out　pre…eminent　for　a　stern　discipline　which　nothing　had　changed；　the　purity　of　its　rule　had　attracted　unhappy　women　from　the　furthest　parts　of　Europe；　women　deprived　of　all　human　ties；　sighing　after　the　long　suicide　accomplished　in　the　breast　of　God。　　No　convent；　indeed；　was　so　well　fitted　for　that　complete　detachment　of　the　soul　from　all　earthly　things；　which　is　demanded　by　the　religious　life；　albeit　on　the　continent　of　Europe　there　are　many　convents　magnificently　adapted　to　the　purpose　of　their　existence。　　Buried　away　in　the　loneliest　valleys；　hanging　in　mid…air　on　the　steepest　mountainsides；　set　down　on　the　brink　of　precipices；　in　every　place　man　has　sought　for　the　poetry　of　the　Infinite；　the　solemn　awe　of　Silence；　in　every　place　man　has　striven　to　draw　closer　to　God；　seeking　Him　on　mountain　peaks；　in　the　depths　below　the　crags；　at　the　cliff's　edge；　and　everywhere　man　has　found　God。　　But　nowhere；　save　on　this　half…European；　half…African　ledge　of　rock　could　you　find　so　many　different　harmonies；　combining　so　to　raise　the　soul；　that　the　sharpest　pain　comes　to　be　like　other　memories；　the　strongest　impressions　are　dulled；　till　the　sorrows　of　life　are　laid　to　rest　in　the　depths。

The　convent　stands　on　the　highest　point　of　the　crags　at　the　uttermost　end　of　the　island。　　On　the　side　towards　the　sea　the　rock　was　once　rent　sheer　away　in　some　globe…cataclysm；　it　rises　up　a　straight　wall　from　the　base　where　the　waves　gnaw　at　the　stone　below　high…water　mark。　　Any　assault　is　made　impossible　by　the　dangerous　reefs　that　stretch　far　out　to　sea；　with　the　sparkling　waves　of　the　Mediterranean　playing　over　them。　　So；　only　from　the　sea　can　you　discern　the　square　mass　of　the　convent　built　conformably　to　the　minute　rules　laid　down　as　to　the　shape；　height；　doors；　and　windows　of　monastic　buildings。　　From　the　side　of　the　town；　the　church　completely　hides　the　solid　structure　of　the　cloisters　and　their　roofs；　covered　with　broad　slabs　of　stone　impervious　to　sun　or　storm　or　gales　of　wind。

The　church　itself；　built　by　the　munificence　of　a　Spanish　family；　is　the　crowning　edifice　of　the　town。　　Its　fine；　bold　front　gives　an　imposing　and　picturesque　look　to　the　little　city　in　the　sea。　　The　sight　of　such　a　city；　with　its　close…huddled　roofs；　arranged　for　the　most　part　amphitheatre…wise　above　a　picturesque　harbour；　and　crowned　by　a　glorious　cathedral　front　with　triple…arched　Gothic　doorways；　belfry　towers；　and　filigree　spires；　is　a　spectacle　surely　in　every　way　the　sublimest　on　earth。　　Religion　towering　above　daily　life；　to　put　men　continually　in　mind　of　the　End　and　the　way；　is　in　truth　a　thoroughly　Spanish　conception。　　But　now　surround　this　picture　by　the　Mediterranean；　and　a　burning　sky；　imagine　a　few　palms　here　and　there；　a　few　stunted　evergreen　trees　mingling　their　waving　leaves　with　the　motionless　flowers　and　foliage　of　carved　stone；　look　out　over　the　reef　with　its　white　fringes　of　foam　in　contrast　to　the　sapphire　sea；　and　then　turn　to　the　city；　with　its　galleries　and　terraces　whither　the　townsfolk　come　to　take　the　air　among　their　flowers　of　an　evening；　above　the　houses　and　the　tops　of　the　trees　in　their　little　gardens；　add　a　few　sails　down　in　the　harbour；　and　lastly；　in　the　stillness　of　falling　night；　listen　to　the　organ　music；　the　chanting　of　the　services；　the　wonderful　sound　of　bells　pealing　out　over　the　open　sea。　　There　is　sound　and　silence　everywhere；　oftener　still　there　is　silence　over　all。

The　church　is　divided　within　into　a　sombre　mysterious　nave　and　narrow　aisles。　　For　some　reason；　probably　because　the　winds　are　so　high；　the　architect　was　unable　to　build　the　flying　buttresses　and　intervening　chapels　which　adorn　almost　all　cathedrals；　nor　are　there　openings　of　any　kind　in　the　walls　which　support　the　weight　of　the　roof。　　Outside　there　is　simply　the　heavy　wall　structure；　a　solid　mass　of　grey　stone　further　strengthened　by　huge　piers　placed　at　intervals。　　Inside；　the　nave　and　its　little　side　galleries　are　lighted　entirely　by　the　great　stained…glass　rose…window　suspended　by　a　miracle　of　art　above　the　centre　doorway；　for　upon　that　side　the　exposure　permits　of　the　display　of　lacework　in　stone　and　of　other　beauties　peculiar　to　the　style　improperly　called　Gothic。

The　larger　part　of　the　nave　and　aisles　was　left　for　the　townsfolk；　who　came　and　went　and　heard　mass　there。　　The　choir　was　shut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　church　by　a　grating　and　thick　folds　of　brown　curtain；　left　slightly　apart　in　the　middle　in　such　a　way　that　nothing　of　the　choir　could　be　seen　from　the　church　except　the　high　altar　and　the　officiating　priest。　　The　grating　itself　was　divided　up　by　the　pillars　which　supported　the　organ　loft；　and　this　part　of　the　structure；　with　its　carved　wooden　columns；　completed　the　line　of　the　arcading　in　the　gallery　carried　by　the　shafts　in　the　nave。　　If　any　inquisitive　person；　therefore；　had　been　bold　enough　to　climb　upon　the　narrow　balustrade　in　the　gallery　to　look　down　into　the　choir；　he　could　have　seen　nothing　but　the　tall　eight…sided　windows　of　stained　glass　beyond　the　high　altar。

At　the　time　of　the　French　expedition　into　Spain　to　establish　Ferdinand　VII　once　more　on　the　throne；　a　French　general　came　to　the　island　after　the　taking　of　Cadiz；　ostensibly　to　require　the　recognition　of　the　King's　Government；　really　to　see　the　convent　and　to　find　some　means　of　entering　it。　　The　undertaking　was　certainly　a　delicate　one；　but　a　man　of　passionate　temper；　whose　life　had　been；　as　it　were；　but　one　series　of　poems　in　action；　a　man　who　all　his　life　long　had　lived　romances　instead　of　writing　them；　a　man　pre…eminently　a　Doer；　was　sure　to　be　tempted　by　a　deed　which　seemed　to　be　impossible。

To　open　the　doors　of　a　convent　of　nuns　by　lawful　means！　　The　metropolitan　or　the　Pope　would　scarcely　have　permitted　it！　　And　as　for　force　or　strategemmight　not　any　indiscretion　cost　him　his　position；　his　whole　career　as　a　soldier；　and　the　end　in　view　to　boot？　　The　Duc　d'Angouleme　was　still　in　Spain；　and　of　all　the　crimes　which　a　man　in　favour　with　the　Commander…in…Chief　might　commit；　this　one　alone　was　certain　to　find　him　inexorable。　　The　General　had　asked　for　the　mission　to　gratify　private　motives　of　curiosity；　though　never　was　curiosity　more　hopeless。　　This　final　attempt　was　a　matter　of　conscience。　　The　Carmelite　convent　on　the　island　was　the　only　nunnery　in　Spain　which　had　baffled　his　search。

As　he　crossed　from　the　mainland；　scarcely　an　hour's　distance；　he　felt　a　presentiment　that　his　hopes　were　to　be　fulfilled；　and　afterwards；　when　as　yet　he　had　seen　nothing　of　the　convent　but　its　walls；　and　of　the　nuns　not　so　much　as　their　robes；　while　he　had　merely　heard　the　chanting　of　the　service；　there　were　dim　auguries　under　the　walls　and　in　the　sound　of　the　voices　to　justify　his　frail　hope。　　And；　indeed；　however　faint　those　so　unaccountable　presentiments　might　be；　never　was　human　passion　more　vehemently　excited　than　the　General's　curiosity　at　that　moment。　　There　are　no　small　events　for　the　heart；　t